Christmas and Broadway....what a lordy bunch of stuff!!

OKAY!!!
I KNOW!!!
I AM THE CABARET GIFT that keeps on giving...by promoting...and promoting...and promoting BUT A GAL HAS GOTTA DO HER THANG....thing....no wait....thang.
Definitely thang.
I have two shows coming up and then I will not be back to Toronto till...well, I am gonna be absolutely honest....my next show that is even near TO in next May.
I am fully booked till the end of May....and there are irons in the fire across the pond till September after that....so I honestly DO NOT KNOW when I will be back...and I shit you not!
From January till March (after I go to London on a fact finding and producer meeting mission in early January) I have a secret, to-be-named project....fuck I wish I could tell you....it is HUGE HUGE HUGE....and this project takes up ALL the rest of January, February and most of March and then I , thankfully, have one nighters all over Ontario and one in Moosejaw, bitches....Saskatchewan ain't never seen the likes of me!!
I am booked at Theatre Aquarius in May for two weeks...and I am full on looking forward to working in my hometown....telling people stories with their real names in it.

OKAY....so here we go...these are my final dates in Toronto for at least a year.

On December 16th I am doing my fave show....
Sharron's CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY Party
at the Toronto Centre in the gorgeous little studio theatre...I last saw "Title of Show" there are LOVED IT! My husband's baritone trio, Bravura, is opening for me...they are handsome and dreamy!
And the FABU Chris Tsujiuchi will be playing PEOPLE! We may even sing together!
It is a intimate room and tickets are going SO BUY THEM now...everyone says this show gets them into the season...whatever your season may be!
There will be holiday cheer....tons of laughs...something for everyone really...as I have said...this has long been my fave show.
Below is the poster and below that the link to the website where you can buy tickets!

http://www.tocentre.com/

And next, two days later on December 18th (Saturday) at the beautiful Oakville Centre for the Arts in their studio theatre I will be doing my other fave show...
Sharron's Big Broadway Show...
it is the story of how I got to where I am...sad and happy....fun and sometimes...well, come and see for yourself.

I got asked to write a Broadway themed show for myself and so I did it in my way...with a Les Mis Medley that tells you all about the show in 3 minutes...my fateful meeting with Bette Midler....John Travolta...working with Hal Prince....it takes you backstage, to the dressing rooms....audition studios in New York....movie sets....it goes EVERYWHERE!
And I sing songs from "Guys and Dolls", "Title of Show", "Steel Pier", "Hello Dolly", "Wild Party"...so many...and you know how musicals can get you in the Christmas mood....well, this about covers it....oh the fun we will have!
Below is a poster (I changed the show title....this is a bit old timey) and a link to the ticket website!
Come on out!!!

https://secure1.tixhub.com/oakville/procurement/


This may be it for a while people!!!
I would love to see you!
Thanks for reading....thanks for your support...and all the best for the season!

Sharron Matthews Superstar

So, sometimes...I enjoy spending a whole day editing a video....I know, I know....it is geeky....
You know what is amazing? After you watch yourself on video for a while you kind give yourself up to your flaws....perceived and otherwise...sometimes the angle is bad and the joke is good....which thing do you think I go for?
I have to say that this was some of the most fun I have ever had making a vid.
I had not even had the time to watch the Scotland footage yet...FROM THREE months ago...and I am always worried...but George did such a great job....FREEHAND, people!
I enjoyed doing my show for two weeks in Edinburgh.
I learned so very much...and I relaxed into it...there was so many other things to worry about besides the show that the show itself was a rest!
And looking at the fabulous backdrop on the iconic Joe's Pub stage made me cry....and then looking at the SOLD OUT (yes, bitches, SOLD OUT is ALWAYS in caps) show I did at the Young Centre this summer...made me happy....I went all "joss stone" barefoot...and my boobs look huge.
Just being honest.
And then there was the awesome footage from the CD Release this weekend!!!
The audience this weekend was full of people I love, adore and thank for their constant support!
Louise and Joe, Joan Mathers, that crazy Mary Walsh, that pretty Paula Brancati, the producing duo of Derrick Chua and the new associate Dean at Sheridan Michael Rubinoff, my John Austin and the fabulous Chris Lorway (who even came to my show when he was in Edinburgh though he has seen it here one million times), Shawn Hitchens (who is coming the the Ed FRINGE next year!) and his beau Matthew...Peter Phoa, Michael G, Joni and John, Gillian....Ari's Bubie, Francis, my fabulous party Ladies, Shelley, Constance, Sasha and Petra...and Peter, their Designated Driver....Kyle, Sara, Gabi, Kimball, Rob, Joy, Gordon, Eric, Dan, Robyn...so many people...so many friends...oh and Brendan and Gregory came....
And my guests were amazing....James Levesque singing '50 Percent' and Jeigh Madjus belting out 'Firework'...I felt very lucky.
Coming to Buddies is always like coming home.
I love it there....Shawn, Erika, Chrystal, Patricia, Glen, Chris, Michael, Paul...Jazz, who makes us sound so great...and takes care of us.
I was just so thankful for the fabulous year I have had....thankful to have Wayne play and reinvent songs I have been doing for years...making them fresh, new and awesome. Wayne Gwillim is just the awesomest!
Doing this video reminded me of all the fabulous things I have accomplished and experienced this year....and how much I still want to do...I love a good promo...check it out...pass it along!
Have a great day all!
Thanks for reading and for following!
Love
Sharron xoxoxo

15 Songs, Tagging and my effing CD RELEASE

Okay...I am not sure what you call these lists and puzzles that people send you on Facbebook...but I don't usually do them...I remove them...because I just don't wanna be tagged. Yup, I said it. And I hate those fucking farms....

Then someone who NEVER TAGS ANYONE...someone I call Grampa....someone you might know as Steve Ross TAGGED ME WITH THIS!

I was a bit surprised and then I read it....I intrigued...yes, intrigued.

I thought in honour of my upcoming CD Release...did you know that I was doing a CD Release?...I thought in honour of that I would do this thing...and the thing was.....

15 Songs about You

First rule - be honest! Don't keep shuffling forward for "cooler" songs. This is a 'getting to know you' exercise. Once you've been tagged...

(1) Turn on your MP3 player or music player on your computer.

(2) Go to SHUFFLE mode.

(3) Write down the first 15 songs that come up - title and artist. NO editing/cheating, please.

(4) Choose 25 people to be tagged, including me. Because people love being tagged, even if they say they don't.

So, here is what happened on my itunes...after I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to 'shuffle' my list.

1. Just Another Day - Next To Normal Soundtrack....yup, a musical theatre song....I was as surprised as you.

2. Jessie's Girl - Live Cover by Everclear....I found this while looking for ALL the recordings of Jessie's Girl for musical inspiration. Did you read anything about Rick Springfield's biography?...he like the sex...and had plastic surgery by the time he was 23....oh Dr. Noah Drake...how I loved you.

3. Hanging By a Moment- Lifehouse....I do love this tune...I still wanna do it...for the record...ahah the record...I wanna do EVERY song that I love...one day I turned to George with horror in my eyes and he asked me what was wrong....I said, "There are so many songs....how will I sing them all?"

4. Smooth Criminal - cover by Alien Antfarm...I love this song...again...and I love the beat....it drives..and I love the guitar...it "shreds" as the young people say.

5. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Gladys Knight and the Pips....I won't call it a cover, because it feels like that would be wrong...though Marvin Gaye's was wonderful this one has the effing best movement of the two...in my opinion....don't freak out or get mad....it is just my opinion. Sidebar: Did you know that Gladys has a gambling addict and because she and the Pips spent a great deal of time performing in Vegas she gambled away all of her money...and it was so bad that the Pips left her...I saw it on A and E. Sad. But I think she got help.

6. 32 Flavours - Ani DiFranco....OKAY.... I LOVE THIS SONG....Jason Knight taught me about Ani...and one of my tour bus drivers on the Les Miserables tour I did told me that he drove her and her band whenever they were on tour and that she was the nicest person in the world. I love this. More often that not you hear stars are assholes....or witness it firsthand.

7. I Feel Love- Donna Summer....the track that led Donna away from the church and then back again and then, sadly and madly to the controversial and horrible comment she made...."God made Adam and Eve, Not Adam and Steve" alienating and hurting her biggest and most loyal fans....remember that? It keeps her in my "Unhappy with you" books...but I do love her music. God, this track goes on forever....like a cocaine fueled party.

8. I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory - Kathleen Edwards...I can't remember why I bought this album...going back to look at the songlist...oh ya! I saw her play at the Horseshoe a long time ago and loved her tunes...a bit country but I like and she a Canuck!

Cool lyric alert "You're cool and (a word I can't figure out) like Fogerty, I'm Elvis Presley in the Seventies, I am a Ford Tempo you're a Maserati....."

9. Driftin'- Bricklin Soundtrack by Allen Cole ....this summer my husband went to Theatre New Brunswick to do the Premiere of the musical 'Bricklin' with music written by the fabulous Allen Cole....I didn't get to go out and see it but it got huge national media coverage and I was happy to see it got a big article in the New York Times Auto section...can you fucking take it? Best part was George brought back the Cd at the end of the summer and this was my fave track...sung by George himself playing Premier Richard Hatfield....he is dreamy...George.

10. Just Not Now - Patricia Zentilli and Patti Loach... Oh lord I love this album. Sometimes, when I am home by myself and writing or working I put this CD on and breathe in Patty's gorgeous voice and Patti's lucious piano....and this track is one of my faves. I love me some Patty-i's

11. Fake Your Way to the Top- Dreamgirls- Movie Soundtrack...I LOVE DREAMGIRLS!!! Anyone who knows me knows this fact....and I am torn between this version...because I adore Eddie Murphy and wish he had won the Oscar....and the Bway Soundtrack because it sung by Clevant Derricks, the original James Thunder...who I did a workshop with in Banff....did I mention that I was in Banff this month?

Me and Clevant

12. Crying - Roy Orbison- Holy Crap this guy sings the absolute fuck outta this song. I also love kd's cover of this ....for the record....she sings the fuck outta that as well.

13. You're My Best Friend - Queen...what need I say? Oh, I can say that I thought it was a commercial jingle before I became musically savvy....if I am indeed musically savvy.

14. Sexual Healing- Marvin Gaye....I think this is Marvin from the grave reminding me how fucking cool he is after I dissed his "Grapevine" earlier on this list...do you remember the video....of Marvin and a nurse...this scenario is repeated quite often in porn...I have heard.

15. Memories- Ms. Barbra Streisand....I didn't know that I owned this....where the fuck did this come from...did you see her on Oprah this week? Did you see Robert Redford...he seems like a fucking ass...did you notice how they came back from commercial and he was just gone...I think this song is....I am afraid to say.

So, that is my 15.

If I have tagged you...please forgive me...but I do love this exercise.

I learned a bit about Grampa....fuck, he love the theatre tunes...and a little about myself.

Please come out to my CD release show...it will be a a Party...a EFFING PARTY!....we will have fun!

I rehearsed with the band yesterday...the young Wayne Gwillim and the NEW TO MY SHOWS and fabulous Sly Juhas....his name is SLY! And he could not be cooler, nicer or more inspired.

We are gonna rock the shit!

Don't forget that each night has a SURPRISE GUEST BITCHES!!!

This Friday November 26th and Saturday November 27th @ Buddies in Bad Times. Doors at 7:30pm and Show at 8:00pm....tickets are $20.00 with a $15 Student price. You can call Buddies Tuesday to Saturday between the hours of Noon to 5:00pm.

See you SOON!!!

Oh and here is a link to my PROMO VIDEO for the show starring myself and Wayne Gwillim on keys....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCN4DT4OCSg

Sharron's CD Release TEASER!!!

See you next Friday the 26th or Saturday the 27th at the big CD Release...until then? Wayne and I mix it up....UNPLUGGED!

Lake SHORE?!?!? What the eff????

Oh. my. god.

So, I, like any other pop culture/ reality show lover (judge me if you will, I don’t give a poop) was very interested in the phenom that was “Jersey Shore”...anyone that would nickname themselves “The Situation” must be good for at least a couple watches....okay maybe one. Of course, I found myself a bit intrigued by the small, drunk, orange, boofie haired, potty mouthed Snookie. But it wore out...not for my friend Wayne...but there you go.
I am up early this morn and turn on Aretha (my computer) and there is an article in the paper about a show called “Lake Shore”...my heart begins to be sad...it is about young people, 20 somethings, in Etobicoke...I think...they didn’t really specify WHERE the lakeshore is...maybe it is Clarkson ( I am gonna stop myself from rhyming off all the stops on the GO train).
It seems to be important that they are all of different ethnicities...I got this list from The Star... I have added some of own thoughts in italics....

Sibel Atlug (“The Turk”) Age: 23 Modus operandi: Bossy and controversial Quote: “People love to hate me.” (Can’t wait.)

Karolina Czaja (“The Pole”) Age: 23 Modus operandi: Self-proclaimed heartbreaker Quote: “My strength is loyalty.” (The first time I read this I thought she had nicknamed herself “The Pope”...I find that the fact that she is loyal and a self proclaimed heartbreaker a bit at odds with each other...non? Girls are so fickle.)

Joey Violin (“The Italian”) Age: 21 Modus operandi: Happy-go-lucky, shies away from conflict Quote: “Number 1 wop, baby. That’s what it’s all about.” ( oh my...his name smells of mobster....doesn’t it....do you think they made it up? I didn’t know there was a number one....what he said...good to know....)

Anni Mei Nguyen (“The Vietnamese”) Age: 23 Modus operandi: Sales rep by day and go-go dancer by night Quote: “I’m very animated. I’m very cartoony.” (This is so many things....it is almost....my brain is imploding...it is almost like wanting to be either a brain surgeon or a cheerleader when you grow up....but not. And I love that she seems to think“Cartoony” is a giggly compliment to herself)

Tommy “Hollywood” Lis (“The Czech”) Modus operandi: Serial dater Quote: “Everyday is a Saturday night.” (Who fucking gives themselves a middle name...someone I know went to school with a girl who walked up to them one day and said that she wanted everyone to call her “Crackers”...even got it on a Tshirt...was Rex Smith on the front of that Tshirt...was that girl me? NO!)

Salem Moussallam (“The Lebanese”) Age: 24 Modus operandi: Fashionista Quote: “On my free time, I like to go shopping.” (Bored)

Robyn Perza (“The Jew”) Age: 20 Modus operandi: Loud and blunt Quote: “I’m my own boss.” (Again, bored....loud and blunt are my two favourite things..oh wait....)

Arber Daci (“The Albanian”) Age: 23 Modus operandi: Always at the clubs Quote: “I’m always downtown: Friday, Saturday, Thursday maybe, Sunday possibly.” (Oh ya, I met this guy on my vacation in Cuba...he vomitted on the beach and then tried to kiss me and feel my boob....I was 22 at the time, of course...don’t we all know this guy?)

So that is the line up....and this is the kind of TV we can expect.... this “The Turk” person was quoted in The Star as saying....

“I’m not racist because I hate everybody equally. Especially Jewish people,”

Can you still say that?
Could you EVER SAY THAT?
And it is going to be on TV.
I remember watching my first episode of American Gladiator many years ago and thinking “Oh lord, the end of the world is coming.....”
And here we are...
Now, you all know I love my TV...and I love Survivor ... Hoarders ... Say Yes to The Dress....any number of reality shows...so, this is a bit hypocritical, I know...but I do think the low budget, crappier copy of Jersey Shore is a BAD BAD IDEA.
VERY BAD IDEA.
Remember when you could turn on a TV show and know right away if it was Canadian or not?
Well, looking at this picture for the show takes us back about one million years... move over HOBO!



Here are my thoughts....

A: Why are they in their bikinis in a pool? This is freakin’ Toronto....it is cold more than half of the year....not super cold...but not open toed shoe weather for cripes sake. (I think I am gonna work ‘for cripes sake’ back into my life...I love it.)

B: Do you see the girl with her legs around the guys neck...have some self respect, lady.

C: Couldn’t they have found a better font for the titles? There is the freakin’ interweb now....fabulous FONTS FOR EVERYONE!!!! It is like a font from my grade 6 science project about frogs...I had to do a project about frogs because I passed out everytime we dissected them and missed the dissection part. Harsh....but not as HARSH AS THIS FONT!

D: Not that I watched too many episodes....one or two...but it looks like they are trying to re create the ENTIRE Jersey Shore cast...That girl in the upper right corner looks like ‘J Wow’...yes, that is her name...and the girl in the middle with the blue bathing suit looks like shades of Snookie...all the guys look like ‘The Situation’...it is like when they would recast big musicals here in Canada partially based on if you fit the predecessors’ costume and shoes.

E: Who took this picture....my mother? On our old Kodak with the flash that turned when you used it...was that only twenty years ago? Technology is scary....but NOT AS SCARY AS THIS PICTURE.

So, it will be sexist ...racist ...slutty ...stereotypical ...moronic ...and setting an example for our young people.

Wow.
J Wow.
There is an trailer....I hesitate to put the link up...I am walking away and watering my plants and thinking about it.....

Alright...I am gonna put it up...with RESERVATION!!! You will crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSG3LXU60Vc

Oh lord.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Can you fucking believe it....it is American Gladiator all over again.

If I say Banff one more time...and Bump it.

Dear All,

My husband is very sweet....he is so sweet that He listens to every inane story that I have to tell over and over and just smiles and gives me a hug....I imagine he is rolling his eyes indulgently in his mind...he always seems interested.

BUT...I think if he hears me say "You know what happened in Banff?" one more time he might murder me.

He has never expressed that this phrase was a problem...but I have said it one million times and today I told him a story and he said, "Did that happen in Banff?"...now I don't think he was making fun of me...he is such a good man...but I wonder....

Oh, before I get any farther in this story I want you all to know that I went to Staples today to get my flyers printed...WORLD DOMINATION Week 44 BITCHES!!!...and I walked by the "As Seen On TV" section...and I saw the thing some call the "Bump it".

It is a contraption that makes you look like you have high hair, Jersey hair....Snookie hair...I have long watched the TV commercial and I gotta tell you...I was intrigued.

I could not help myself

I bought one.

What the eff...I wonder if it will work...STAY TUNED.

BANFF!!!

Ah yes....what an amazing place....my god...the first day I was so overstimulated by the surrounding mountains that I almost had an anxiety attack...but I LOVE the view....

And this was the view out of the rehearsal hall window....

How the fuck did we get anything done??? How??? I ask you!

The cast was fantastic...a great mix of Canadians and Americans....and that hack Adam Brazier.

Patty Jamieson and I climbed and walked all over that freakin' place...then there was that deer outside our window...who when I waved at him ( yes, I waved) he laid down....

Absolutely NO sense of self preservation, what so ever.

The Banff Centre was a joy....so effing gorgeous...every artist in Canada should get the chance to work there. Thanks to Kelly Robinson for bringing me out!

Now, here is my fave part....besides the fabulous show...Innocence, written by the fabulous British team of Alasdair Middleton and Jonathan Dove...some of the hardest stuff I have had the pleasure to try and master...there was one day that I screwed it up so badly in front of Jonathan that I mouthed "I am sorry" in the middle of the scene. They were such great guys!

My fave part....besides the fun I had with one Rachel Neuberger and one Patty Jamieson...that girl knows how to have fun!!!

My FAVE THING....meeting and working and eating with fantastic Liz Ward, John Cunin and Beth McVey...OH.and the young Jade Padua....

THAT DICK BINSLEY IS AWESOME!

Okay my fave part...besides the wine I drank....like a sailor....and the fun I shared with one Arbender and one Carly...those two know how to make a Canadian gal laugh...and then pull out all her best bits....

ALRIGHT!

Here is my fave part!

When I was 14 ( bear with me) I sat in front of my television and watched the Tony awards.

I watched Angela Landsbury introduce Dreamgirls...then I watched her sing "I am Tell You"...and was obsessed...I bought the RECORD!!! THE L freaking P.

And listened to it OBSESSIVELY!

My fave part of THAT? One James Thunder Early...as played by Tony Winner Clevant Derricks.

He stole that album....and when I saw the show on tour and he wasn't in it...DISAPPOINTED.

I have all of his ism's and vocals from that record in my brainstem.

So, first day of rehearsal of Innocence, in walks this guy...he says hi to everyone...and I freak out inside.

Patty asks me if I am alright.

I say yes.

It is him.

Clevant Derricks.

Two time Tony winner...he was in freakin' Moscow on the Hudson....and so many other things...but when he started singing I almost cried.

He is the lovliest of gentlemen.

Just the loveliest.

There was a moment that I was sitting offstage and a young man, one Arbender, started to sing his solo and it was so gorgeous and I looked out the window and there were mountains...and I turned and there was Clevant sitting beside me smiling...and I did cry...a little.

I felt the magic of theatre.

Anything is possible.

It is such a gift that I get to be a part of it.

I KNOW!

It sounds GAYLORDY!!!

But it is true...thanks universe.

Clevant Derricks and me.

OH YA!!!

So, I have my CD release in just over two weeks!!!

I am very excited!

It features some of fave pieces....I just said pieces...all fancy.

It is gonna be all old school...and new school!

I have some shit to talk with all of you about...I have missed you...I have missed Buddies!

It feels like forever!

Come and celebrate this CD with me...and we'll talk ....if you have specific questions you would like answered or things you would like to chat about send me an email and I will do my best to work it into the show!!!

Friday November 26th and Saturday November 27th @ Buddies in Bad Times at 8:00pm doors at 7:30pm.

Call Buddies Box Office at #416 975 8555 from Tuesday to Saturday (Noon to 5:00pm) or go the Box office at 12 Alexander Street and pick them tickets up!!!

WE are gonna pack this shit out!!!

Also, Georgie...my sweet George has a show this Friday night (the 12th) of his fantastic baritone Trio Bravura (fancy!) at the Rosedale Presbyterian Church 129 Mount Pleasant Road at South Drive...it is really amazing to hear these guys sing together!

So, how is that for an eff load of info?!?!?!

I await your emails!